Always on My Mind
"Always on My Mind" is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson, recorded first by Gwen McCrae (as "You Were Always On My Mind") andBrenda Lee in 1972. Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers.[1] While Brenda Lee's version had stalled at #45 on the country charts in 1972, other performers would reach the top 20 in the United States and elsewhere with their own versions: Elvis Presley in 1972; John Wesley Ryles in 1979; Willie Nelson's Grammy Award winning version in 1982;Pet Shop Boys in 1987. Contents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Always_on_My_Mind# hide *1 Composition *2 Elvis Presley version **2.1 Chart performance of Elvis Presley's version *3 John Wesley Ryles version **3.1 Chart performance of John Wesley Ryles's version *4 Willie Nelson version **4.1 Chart performance of Willie Nelson's version *5 Pet Shop Boys version **5.1 Chart performance of Pet Shop Boys' version *6 Other cover versions *7 References *8 External links Compositionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=1 edit Wayne Carson said that he wrote the song in 10 minutes at his home in Springfield at his kitchen table and completed the song in studio with the assistance of Johnny and Mark. Carson, who had the song about a year and one day, was finishing a recording session. Producer Chips Moman asked about recording "that mind" song, but added it would need a bridge. Wayne went upstairs to the studios old piano, where he was trying to work out a bridge, when Johnny and Mark walked in the door, and he asked for their help to complete his song. The trio felt that the song was finished and at first could not get anything to add, but Wayne explained that Moman was insisting that a bridge be added. So between them, the two-line bridge was created The song was passed to one of Elvis's bodyguards, who gave Presley the cut from the studio. Moman did not produce Presley's recording, but did record the Willie Nelson version years later. . Elvis Presley versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=2 edit Elvis Presley recorded his version of "Always on My Mind" on March 29, 1972, a few weeks after his February separation from wife Priscilla.[2] The song was released as the B-side of the "Separate Ways" single, which reached Gold status in the U.S for sales of over a million copies. It was listed as a double sided hit reaching number 16 on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_(magazine) Billboard magazine]'s Hot Country Singles chart in November 1972.[3] In the UK "Always on My Mind" was the hit song and "Separate Ways" was the B-side. Chart performance of Elvis Presley's versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=3 edit John Wesley Ryles versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=4 edit In 1979, John Wesley Ryles reached number 20 on the U.S. country charts with his rendition, entitled "You Are Always on My Mind", from the album Let the Night Begin.[4] Chart performance of John Wesley Ryles's versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=5 edit Willie Nelson versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=6 edit The song was recorded by Willie Nelson and released in the spring of 1982. The song raced to number one on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_(magazine) Billboard magazine]'s Hot Country Singles chart that May, spending two weeks atop and total of 21 weeks on the chart. The song also did very well on Top 40 radio, peaking at number five on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100 Billboard Hot 100] for three weeks and staying on this chart for 23 weeks. In the year end charts, this version was Billboard's number one country song for 1982. This version also charted in a number of other countries. Nelson's version would result in three wins at the 25th Grammy Awards in February 1983: songwriters Christopher, James and Carson won Song of the Year and Best Country Song; in addition, Nelson won for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. This version also won Country Music Association awards in two consecutive years: 1982 Song of the Year and 1983 Song of the Year for songwriters Christopher, James and Carson; 1982 Single of the Year for Nelson, and; contributed to Nelson winning 1982 Album of the Year for the album "Always on My Mind". Willie Nelson performed the number with Johnny Cash on the 1998 release of VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson. The song was also featured on a December 2009 ASPCAcommercial. On July 10, 1991, this version was certified platinum by RIAA. In 2008, the single was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame. Nelson's version was prominently featured, in its entirety, in a season two (2013) episode of the HBO television series The Newsroom. Chart performance of Willie Nelson's versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=7 edit Pet Shop Boys versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=8 edit In 1987, Pet Shop Boys performed a synthpop version of "Always on My Mind" on Love Me Tender, an ITV network television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Presley's death, in which various popular contemporary acts performed cover versions of his hits. Their performance was so well-received that the duo decided to record the song and release it as a single. This version became the UK's Christmas number one single that year and topping the charts for four weeks in total. It is their best selling single in the official UK Singles Chart. The Pet Shop Boys version introduces a harmonic variation not present in the original version. In the original the ending phrase "always on my mind" is sung to a IV-V7-I cadence (C-D7-G). The Pet Shop Boys extend this cadence by adding two further chords: C-D7-Gm7/B♭-C-G (i.e. a progression of IV-V7-i7b-IV-I).[citation needed] In November 2004, The Daily Telegraph newspaper placed the version at number two in a list of the fifty greatest cover versions of all time.[11] In the video for Pet Shop Boys' version of "Always on My Mind" (an excerpt from their surreal music film It Couldn't Happen Here), Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are seated in the front of a taxi cab, when an eccentric passenger gets in, played by notable British actor Joss Ackland. At the end of the song, he gets out of the car, which drives away. Standing alone, he mutters: "You went away. It should make me feel better. But I don't know how I'm going to get through", which is part of the lyrics for another Pet Shop Boys track, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?". In 1988, the duo rerecorded the song for their third studio LP, Introspective, combining it with an acid-house track called "In My House". In 2008, Konami used the song for Dance Dance Revolution X which was released for both arcades and the Sony PlayStation 2 console. In 2010, the song was re-used for Dance Dance Revolution X2 which was released for arcades. Chart performance of Pet Shop Boys' versionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=9 edit Other cover versionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Always_on_My_Mind&action=edit&section=10 edit *In 1982, Sonny Charles covered the song on his album "The Sun Still Shines". *In 1985 a version by the band Big Daddy was released on the album "Meanwhile... Back in the States" (Rhino Records RNLP 854).[28] The band used a similar arrangement as that on "Chantilly Lace", with the singer "talking" to his girlfriend on the phone. *In 1988, Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for the album The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock. *In 1990, The Shadows did an instrumental of the song on their album "Reflection". *In 1995, Chris de Burgh covered this song on his album "Beautiful Dreams". *In 2000, Karel Gott performed the German version "Du Bist Alles Was Ich Will" for the album Für immer jung.[29] *In 2002, it was covered by pop group Sweetbox for their album Jade. *In 2003, Brazilian singer Danni Carlos covered the song on her album Rock N Road Acustico. *In 2004, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (a punk-rock covers supergroup comprising members of NOFX, Foo Fighters, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name and Swingin' Utters) covered the track on their live album, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah. *In 2005 an American alternative country singer Ryan Adams included the cover of "Always on My Mind" as a bonus track on his album Jacksonville City Nights. *In 2007, Canadian singer Michael Bublé included a cover of the song on his album Call Me Irresponsible. *A cover appeared in the 2009 survival horror video game Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, featuring the series's prominent vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. *In the 3rd season of American Idol, Fantasia Barrino covered the song and included it on her debut album Free Yourself. The song has since been convered by Anoop Desai in the 8th season, and during the 10th season of the show, by Scotty McCreery. *In 2008, Roch Voisine covered the song on his album [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americana_(Roch_Voisine_album) Americana]. *In 2011 Nicki Gillis covered the song on her "Always on My Mind" EP. *In 2011 Rick Allison. *In 2012, Metric covered the song in an appearance on Like a Version. *In 2012, Keaton Henson covered the song on his B-sides and Rarities album. *In 2012, Karel Gott performed the Czech version "S tebou vždycky přijde máj" for the album Dotek lásky.[30] *In 2013, Contemporary Christian artist The Katinas covered the song on their album Love Chapter. *In 2013, the Spanish national Christmas lottery advertisement [31] covered this song with various popular Spanish artists, including Montserrat Caballé. *In 2014 the German dance group Groove Coverage covered the song but renamed it as 'Tell Me' Category:1972 singles